


Adolescence

by GingerEl



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Chocobos, Dates, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Minor Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia, Noctis Lucis Caelum Lives, Older Promptis, Sharing Clothes, Sneaking Out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:22:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27756847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GingerEl/pseuds/GingerEl
Summary: “We never - we never had any time,” Noct explains, “We never got a chance to be dumb - young and in love and stupid. As soon as we realised what we were I was getting married off and you were roped into helping save the world.”“Noct, we’re still all those things,” Prompto says laughing, “Maybe we’re not so young anymore.”Noct smiles and strokes his thumb over Prompto’s knuckles.“Yeah,” Noct says, “So I just want to act like it for just one night before we have to be boring grown ups again.”“Lead the way,” Prompto says.Alternatively: The night before their wedding Noctis wants to run wild, knock something off Prompto’s bucket list and reclaim some of the youth that was taken from the two of them.
Relationships: Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 22
Kudos: 75
Collections: Beginning of Forever - An older Promptis Fan Project - Event Submissions





	Adolescence

**Author's Note:**

> Being 32 isn't going to make these boys make better decisions.

They’re getting married tomorrow.

It’s probably been twelve, thirteen years since the very idea of such a thing had first crossed Prompto's mind and yet tomorrow he's _actually_ doing it. Marrying Noct.

Noct slips his hands beneath the soft cotton of Prompto’s t-shirt, leaning more heavily into Prompto where he’s all but draped over his back, mumbling sleepily into his shoulder.

Prompto slides the spatula under the pancake and flips it over in the pan.

“That’s the lame way to flip,” Noct complains, voice soft.

“Yeah well after the pancakes you tossed up into the light fixture last month I figured I’d save Ignis some sanity and do it this way.”

“Lame,” Noct says.

“Call off the wedding.” Prompto teases.

Noct squeezes him tighter around the middle, digging in his fingers so Prompto really feels it. He turns his face so his nose buries in the hair at the base of his neck.

“Never.”

-

“Both your suits are pressed,” Ignis says, “I’ll bring them to you both in the morning.”

“Thanks, Iggy,” Prompto says.

Noct yawns, stretching his arms way above his head. Prompto watches the arch of his spine and the pull of his shoulders greedily because there isn’t a damn person in the world that can tell him not to any more. When Noct settles back down he hooks one of his arms around Prompto’s shoulders and pulls him into his side, pressing his face right into Prompto’s hair.

Muffled Noct says, “Yeah, thanks Iggy.”

“That’s right,” Gladio says, “Get your goodbyes in.”

“What goodbye?” Noct asks, pulling his face free enough to look over at his Shield.

Gladio casts his eyes around the room and asks, “Who’s sleeping in a different suite tonight? Me and Igs made up the spare room in case you didn’t want to be alone.”

Gladio’s looking at _him_ , of course, because these were Noct’s quarters long before they were ever his, but Prompto just turns his head slightly to avoid his gaze. Noct’s made his opinion on this _tradition_ abundantly clear to Prompto and he really can’t help but agree.

“Neither of us,” Noct says.

“It’s _traditional_ to spend the night before your wedding apart?” Ignis says.

Noct stares at him.

“No.”

Ignis sighs, “Noct -”

“ _No_.”

Ignis pushes his visor a little more securely up his nose and Noctis chooses to ignore whatever he might be about to do next by pressing his face back into Prompto’s hair.

Ignis sighs again.

“Come on, Iggy,” Gladio says, “Let’s leave ‘em be.”

“We’ll see you in the morning,” Ignis concedes, “Bright and early.”

“You got it,” Noct mumbles.

“Thanks again, Iggy,” Prompto tells him, bidding them a goodnight as best they can with Noct holding him tight. It’s still early, just after dinner with the sun barely set and usually they’d probably all spend a little more time together before turning in. It’ll be nice though, to have this time with Noct ahead of tomorrow. Just the two of them.

 _Fiances_ for the last time.

When the door clicks shit Noct pulls his head from his shelter and Prompto watches as he starts counting, mouthing the numbers slowly like he’s trying to pace himself.

“What are you -”

Noct raises his hand and presses his fingers to Prompto’s mouth to cut him off.

Prompto raises an eyebrow but Noct just shakes his head continuing to count. As Prompto watches him mouth the number thirty his husband-to-be jumps to his feet and hurries off towards the bedroom.

“Come on,” he says over his shoulder.

Prompto climbs more slowly off the couch than Noct, following him through the door and right into their massive walk in closet. Prompto will never be used to that.

“I’m borrowing some of your clothes,” Noct tells him.

“Uh - to sleep in?”

“No,” Noct says and he rifles through Prompto’s hoodies, bypassing all the black ones and instead picking out something dark, sure, but distinctly _blue_.

“Noct,” Prompto says and he laughs nervously, “What are you doing?”

“We’re going out,” Noct says, “And don’t ask where it’s a surprise.”

“Why do you need _my_ clothes?” Prompto asks, “And how do you propose we get out of the Citadel without being seen.”

Noct pulls the hoodie on over his head - it looks _good_ of course - and when his head pops free, hair ruffled and adorable he looks Prompto dead on and says, “Window.”

Prompto opens his mouth to argue _absolutely not I get nauseous when you warp me places_ but Noct goes on -

“And I need _your_ clothes because apart from these jeans I have no casual clothes that aren’t pyjamas, they’ve not been a priority. I'd like to not be recognised if we can manage it.”

There's no chance of that, Prompto thinks, but he's not in the habit of shitting on Noct's dreams.

Prompto glances at said jeans, “You know those are actually _my_ jeans.”

“Huh,” Noct says. He looks Prompto up and down and asks, “Why aren’t you getting ready?”

“Because I don’t know where we’re going,” Prompto says, “ _Or_ how we’re going to get out of the Citadel without me upchucking all over your - _my_ jeans.”

“Trust me,” Noct says and he comes closer to peck a kiss onto Prompto’s cheek.

Prompto sighs and nods.

“Always.”

“Can I borrow your leather jacket?” Noct asks.

“I - you _can_. But, well -”

Noct brushes his lip against Prompto’s cheek again, “What’s wrong?”

“You probably want to wear this instead,” Prompto says moving to the far end of the closet, going up on his tiptoes to retrieve a shoe box he’d stashed on a high shelf the moment Noct’s back was turned the day he moved in. It belongs to Noct, it always has, and when Prompto had taken it and kept it after he disappeared into the crystal he’d always _intended_ to give it right back but it had been such a comfort, an anchor during the long night that he hadn’t been able to part with it.

Prompto hadn’t even ever worn it, not really, not when it could ever get damaged or soiled, he’d simply draped it over his shoulders sometimes when he was all alone to try and trick himself into thinking he wasn’t.

Even up on his tiptoes Prompto has to scramble for the box, fingertips brushing against the cardboard before he manages to get a decent hold on it and slide it free. He holds it out to Noct - whose moved closer - but he doesn’t take it, just flits his eyes between the box and Prompto’s face looking bewildered.

Prompto sigh and pulls the box open, pushing the paper he’d wrapped it in to get his hand around the fabric and pull it free.

“Holy shit,” Noct says.

“Yeah,” Prompto mumbles, shaking the creases out of Noct’s beloved jacket.

“That’s my -”

“Yeah.”

“- I thought it was lost or -”

“No,” Prompto says, “No, not lost. I just borrowed it. While you were gone.”

Noct takes the jacket in his hands, turning it around to look at the behemoth emblazoned across the back of it. Almost reverently he runs his fingers of the stitching.

“It looks just like I left it,” Noct says.

“Yeah, I didn’t wear it much,” Prompto explains, “I didn’t want to ruin it - I just wanted to be _close_ , I guess.”

“Prom,” Noct whispers. He runs his hands over the behemoth once more and then lifts the jacket, settling it around _Prompto’s_ shoulders with a quick flick of his wrist.

Prompto inhales sharply as the fabric falls over his arms, familiar even after it’s year long sojourn in storage.

Noct grips the front of the jacket in his hands, one side in each fist and uses it to pull Prompto into him, slotting their mouths together. He kisses Prompto long and slow, all his urgency to be up and out of their rooms seemingly forgotten at least for now.

-

Noct looks _good_ in Prompto’s leather jacket but it’s not quite enough to distract him from the way his stomach all but rolls over when Noct finally settles all four of their feet on the ground.

“I hate you,” Prompto gasps, bending over to brace his hands on his knees as he heaves in deep breaths to try and settle down.

“I thought doing it little by little would help,” Noct says rubbing the small of his back in little circles, “I’ll go all the way back up in one go later.”

“Fucking _Astrals_ ,” Prompto groans.

Noct laughs, the _asshole_.

Prompto stands up, stomach still uncomfortable and pulls a face to let Noct know. Noct looks at him a little critically and sighs.

“Okay, _slight_ change of plans while your stomach settles.”

“No,” Prompto says quickly, “No don’t change anything.”

Prompto _still_ doesn’t know what they’re out here to do but Noct had seemed so excited while they finished getting dressed and put their shoes on.

“Just changing the order,” Noct says, “No food yet.”

“Okay, yeah, okay that sounds nice,” Prompto says. He looks over Noct, hair mused but the line of his jaw regal and _familiar_. Sure no one has seen Noctis in anything but formal wear since the dawn but if Noct wants _out_ he wants anonymity too. From his back pocket Prompto pulls the beanie he’d stashed there in case it was cold, beckoning Noct even closer by crooking his finger.

Noct grins when Prompto pulls the hat over his head, adjusting it over his hair and tucking strands away so they’re not falling over his eyes. Prompto holds out his hand.

“You wanna tell me what we’re doing while you lead the way?”

Noct’s smile turns more bashful but he takes Prompto’s hand, linking their fingers together and pulling Prompto away from the fence Noct had landed them just outside of, off towards the city.

“We never - we never had any _time_ ,” Noct explains, “We never got a chance to be dumb - young and in love and stupid. As soon as we realised what we _were_ I was getting married off and you were roped into helping save the world.”

“Noct, we’re still all those things,” Prompto says laughing, “Maybe we’re not _so_ young anymore.”

Noct smiles and strokes his thumb over Prompto’s knuckles.

“Yeah,” Noct says, “So I just want to _act_ like it for just _one_ night before we have to be boring grown ups again.”

“Lead the way,” Prompto says.

-

They went to a lot of arcades when they were teenagers.

Well, they went to the same arcade _a lot_.

It had actually survived the fall of Insomnia, physically at least, and Prompto had even come to see the remains of it during one of his walks but -

It had been strange without Noct and sad seeing it all dark and silent, no teenagers yelling and laughing, squabbling over the best machines, the newest games.

Noct pulls him into the all night arcade, hand squeezing his tightly and turns to shoot him a grin over his shoulder - nervous, excited.

No one looks at them twice.

There are a number of groups milling about, men in their early twenties grouped around shooters with beer bottles clutched in their fists, mixed groups giggling and hollering around DDR machines and new VR consoles.

“We had some weird priorities,” Prompto muses.

Noct shrugs, “I think people just wanted to have fun again.”

They bypass all the new machines, going straight back to the quiet part of the arcade where old and salvaged games are lining the walls.

“Holy shit _,”_ Prompto says when Noct slides two coins into an old Justice Monsters machine.

Noct’s grinning again, “Ready to try and bust your old high score.”

“I don’t even remember what it was,” Prompto says but he takes hold of teh joystick and places his other hand over the buttons all the same.

“I do,” Noct says.

“Right, because it was higher than yours,” Prompto teases.

Noct aims a kick at him and they’re laughing when the music starts up, tinny and _bad_ but comforting and nostalgic all the same.

-

They stay in the dark arcade for a few hours, shoulder to shoulder and laughing like when they were teens. Shit talking and _flirting_ like nothing’s ever changed - like they didn’t go to the very ends of the world and back just to be here together like this, on the eve of their wedding, 30-something years old and _tired_.

When their current games ends - Noct wiped and Prompto heroically followed him down - Noct pulls out his phone to check the time.

“Come on,” Noct says, “They close at eleven.”

“Where closes at eleven?”

Noct laughs and takes his hand, pulling him away again towards the doors.

It’s _cold_ outside and Prompto tugs the behemoth jacket more securely about him. Noct watches with eager eyes.

“You look so cute in that,” Noct tells him.

Prompto shoots him a look, “So why did you always used to complain so much when I took it?”

Noct scratches the back of his neck sheepishly.

“I liked making you blush by teasing you about it,” Noct admits.

So of course Prompto blushes _then_ too.

“Yeah, like that,” Noct says smugly.

Prompto punches him in the arm, ducking his head slightly to try and hide it. Noct leans towards him to brush his lips over a warm cheek.

“Think mango is still your favourite flavour?” Noct asks.

“Boba?” Prompto asks, excitement peaked, “Astrals there’s a boba shop open?”

“Last week,” Noct says, “And you’ll never guess who runs it.”

“No,” Prompto breathes, “ _No way_.”

But _yes way_ because when they push open the door to _Bubble Bubble_ the same kind face that used to pour them tea when they were seventeen looks up, eyes widening at the sight of them. She grins at them and Prompto waves.

“Well I’ll be,” she says when they’re at the counter, “Didn’t think I’d ever get to see you two again.”

“Same,” Prompto breathes.

With another smile she gestures between them, “Glad to see you two are still -”

“But we -” Prompto starts because they never _were_ , not when they were at school, not when they were coming in three times a week to ignore all the things they _should_ have been doing.

“Yeah,” Noct interrupts, “Yeah we are.”

“I feel like _you_ shouldn’t be here,” she says pointedly to Noct and he shrugs. Even so she drops him a wink and presses her finger to her mouth.

“Thanks,” Prompto tells her.

“What can I get you?”

“Mango for this one,” Noct tells her, “And caramel milk tea for me.”

She winks again and when their drinks are ready she won’t let them pay, too pleased, she says, by the blast from the past they bought her and joy at knowing they're _happy_ after all this time.

Prompto empties all the cash in his wallet into her tip jar anyway laughing as she grumbles. They leave hand in hand, sweet drinks clutched tightly in their fists.

“Okay,” Noct says when they’ve been walking for a minute again, “You’ll need the sugar for the next part.”

“What next part?”

“What’s something you always wanted to do but didn’t because it was against the rules?”

Prompto squints at him, “Pretty sure everything I do with you is _technically_ against the rules.”

Noct rolls his eyes, “Alright dumb dumb, no warning for you.”

“No!” Prompto says, bouncing a little as he walks, “Tell me, tell me.”

Noct laughs and glances around them, they’re fairly isolated now and certainly no one is looking their way. He holds out his hand and a can of spray paint materialises in a shimmer of Noct’s magic.

“Dude,” Prompto says coming to an abrupt stop, “That’s _illegal_.”

“Pretty sure anything I say goes,” Noct tells him and he dismisses the paint back where it came from, “So pick a wall baby, and go ham.”

Prompto chews his lips. He _wants_ to, he’s always wanted to - but he’s _also_ always wanted to be a law abiding citizen that wouldn’t reflect badly on Noct when people found out they were friends. _More_ than friends.

“Prom,” Noct cajoles, swinging their hands, “What good am I if I can’t help you do shit you want.”

Prompto’s lip _hurts_ with how hard he’s biting it. Noct leans in close and Prompto releases it so his teeth aren’t in the way when Noct kisses him.

“Better,” Noct murmurs.

Prompto expels a rough breath, “Okay,” he says and Noct’s face lights up, “Okay, but - _but_. Nowhere that’s already been redeveloped, I’m not ruining something that belongs to someone.”

“I’m sure we can find somewhere,” Noct promises.

-

The alleyway they find is _eerily_ deserted. There’s no bins or anything to suggest the area has been inhabited in a long time. Noct promises the area is up for redevelopment soon, the mark Prompto leaves on the city will be only fleeting, a fulfilment of a childish dream designated to disappear from all but their memories.

Prompto likes it that way.

Prompto has almost _no_ experience with spray paint but even so he sketches out a decent blue fish, adding a cute yellow crown to make Noct laugh. Noct steals the yellow can then, painting a lopsided yellow flower over some decades old graffiti. Prompto draws a red heart, adding their initials in black.

“Sap,” Noct teases. There’s yellow paint all over his fingers and he picks at it briefly before reaching for where he’d stashed their drinks. Stepping up beside Prompto he wraps his arm around Prompto’s waist, tucking his chin over Prompto’s shoulder. Noct’s drink hovers within reach so of course Prompto his head to take a sip, Noct gives a little surprised laugh and nips at his hear in reprimand.

“That’s _so_ sweet,” Prompto complains, vividly remembering every time he’d he’d stolen some in their youth and had the same thought.

“That’s why I didn’t offer you any,” Noct tells him, squeezing him tight again.

Prompto puts the cap on his spray paint and Noct asks, “You ready to go?”

“Getting late, huh?” Prompto responds, rolling out the slight ache in his shoulder.

“Yeah,” Noct says, “And we still have _one_ more stop.”

-

“Calm down,” Noct whispers, laughter obvious, “You’ll get us caught.”

“Then _hurry up_ ,” Prompto whispers back, “There are baby chocobos in there, dude.”

Noct snorts, “I can’t get the lock open and I don’t want to _blast_ it because then people with less innocent intentions could get in too.”

“Move over,” Prompto says elbowing, “Wager that I jimmied more locks than you.”

Noct sighs and they switch places. When Prompto doesn’t _immediately_ get the lock open Noct suggests, “I should just warp us over the fence.”

Prompto’s shoulders slump, “Ugh. You’re right.”

“Tuck your head in,” Noct suggests.

Prompto does just that, hooking his arms over Noct’s shoulders and clinging tight to the soft leather, pressing his face right into Noct’s neck so all he can see and feel is soft hair and warm skin.

It’s actually better, though Prompto still feels unsettled when they land again, staying locked up tight in Noct’s hold for a few long seconds rather than disentangling to explore. Strangely the earthy, _dirty_ smell of the petting zoo helps settle him down. Oddly familiar after all the time he spent at Caem and before that, the chocobo post.

“What should we see first?” Noct asks, hand trailing up his back.

Prompto pulls himself away to stare _aghast_ at the side of Noct's face.

“Chocobos.”

Noct laughs, “You don’t want to see the pigs? They’ve got pygmy goats.”

“Chocobos,” Prompto repeats.

“I love you,” Noct says.

Prompto grins and pulls away, taking Noct’s hand.

“Where do you think they are?”

Noct glances around at the barns and buildings beyond them, he wrinkles his nose, “Think we can just follow our noses?”

Prompto laughs, louder than he should and slaps his hand over his own mouth. Noct snickers.

“I bet they’re in the big one,” Noct says, “Come on.”

The chocobos _are_ in the biggest barn and it’s secured only with a basic latch so they pop it open and sneak inside. Prompto’s worried the birds might panic at their entrance but mostly they’re ignored, only three birds even lifting their heads and just _one_ getting up from where it’s curled up asleep to walk to the edge of their pen to lean out and say hello. Prompto abandons Noct to rush and greet her, stroking down the soft feathers of her neck and giggling when she nuzzles her beak into his hair.

Noct joins him at the gate and reaches to pet her just briefly before reaching for the latch.

“What are you doing?” Prompto whispers furiously.

“I thought you wanted to see the babies.”

Prompto makes a low noise, excited and worried. The chocobo steps back the moment Noct slides the bolt back and the King opens it enough to slip through, beckoning Prompto in behind him. Prompto hesitates for only half a second.

Noct walks into the centre of the sleeping area and sits right down on the ground, settling in amongst the hay. Prompto detours to pet the chocobo that had first greeted them again then sneaks off to Noct’s side, settling beside him right up close so their shoulders are pressed together.

“Stay quiet,” Noct says in a hushed whisper and Prompto nods, glancing over at a huddle of chocobos across from them. There’s _some_ movement, something that could be little ones fidgeting around curiously.

Noct closes one eye like he’s thinking and then, raising his hand a little, a slightly squashed bushel of gysahl greens appears in his hand.

Prompto winces, “How long has that been there?”

Noct shrugs and brings it towards his nose for a sniff, he winces but that doesn’t mean much, Noct would wince if they were fresh picked two minutes ago.

“Armiger keeps things fresh,” Noct argues.

A few of the adults look over but it’s not enough to tempt them and they continue to sit, quiet and cosy together, for long enough that Prompto starts to give up hope. Sure the adult was nice, Prompto’s not fussy, but maybe they _should_ go see the pygmy goats.

And then there’s a chirp, a sweet, high inquisitive little noise and Prompto turns immediately towards it watching with wide hopeful eyes as a small yellow ball of feathers wiggles out from underneath a wing. Noct puts his hand on Prompto's knee and gives it a squeeze. Prompto reaches for the greens and starts to tear off little pieces, scattering them around their knees and the chocobo chick toddles over.

Prompto coos in delight and Noct places his fingers against the hair on Prompto’s chin, holding him steady as he leans in to kiss his cheek.

“This was really great,” Prompto says, “Tonight. Thank you.”

“No regrets?” Noct asks.

“Nah,” he says, “Well, I mean. My back’s probably going to kill and I’ll be dead on my feet tomorrow but - worth it.”

Noct snorts, “Tell me about it. Remember when we used to stay up until four am and then go to school after like it was no big deal.”

“I know we did, but I have no idea _how_ ,” Prompto concurs. The chocobo gives a happy little _kweh_ and Prompto strokes over it’s head with one finger before feeding it another scrap.

The chocobo turns out to be a traitor because when it gets brave enough to climb onto someone’s lap it chooses Noctis, spinning around with it’s tail feathers all fluffed up and chirping expectantly at Prompto, mouth open for another treat. It does nibble his fingers appreciatively though and then settle more fully on Noct’s crossed legs, closing it’s eyes to sleep. Prompto puts the greens down on the ground and wipes his fingers on his jeans before reaching to cup Noct’s face in his hands.

Prompto pulls him close, kissing him warmly and petting over the scruffy hair along his jaw while Noct shifts one of his hands onto the ground so he can press deeper into Prompto’s space, kiss him firmer.

Prompto scratches his fingertips through Noct’s beard and feeling a little forlorn says, “Iggy’s probably going to make you shave in the morning.”

“Hmm, but I won’t if you don’t want me to,” Noct says.

“Iggy outranks me,” Prompto laughs.

Noct squints.

“Okay but after tomorrow _you_ outrank him so you can make all my decisions for me instead.”

Prompto feels his eyes widen, “That’s insane.”

“Prince Prompto,” Noct teases, “King Consort.”

Prompto giggles and bends forward so he can loop his arms right over Noct’s shoulders, the chocobo chick sheltered between them.

They kiss again, soft lipped with warm hands against cheeks and slipping beneath open jackets. Noct sighs into his mouth and Prompto holds him closer, never wanting this to end.

Lights flood in from one side of the barn and they jerk apart - the chocobo chick _squarks_ indignantly at being disturbed.

“ _There's someone on the land!_ ” a voice cries. A chorus of dogs barking follows.

“Sorry little dude,” Prompto says to the chick, plucking it from Noct’s lap and giving it a quick kiss on the head before depositing it on the ground. He puts down the greens too, an apologetic parting gift.

Noct scrambles to his feet, supporting Prompto as he gets up too and they race to the enclosure gate, slipping out the way they came but running for the _other_ barn door, away from all the lights.

“Move, move, move,” Noct pants and together they sprint out of the barn back towards the perimeter fence.

“Gonna warp,” Noct warns before tugging him closer and Prompto only _just_ gets his arms around Noct’s shoulders before he feels the horrible, uncomfortable lurch in his abdomen that proceeds warping through the air.

There’s no time for Prompto to sink into his nausea when they land, the two of them sprinting back towards the Citadel.

**Author's Note:**

> Six weeks later Ignis texts Prompto a picture of their ‘art’ with the message: do you have anything to say for yourselves?
> 
> I'm on twitter here: [@Ginger_El_](https://twitter.com/Ginger_El_)! Come say hi!


End file.
